Advanced Programming Issues 2013

  1. The SQL Server Database provided by DMU (BigCorp.mdf) cannot be edited using the Server Explorer of Visual Studio 2010 or Visual Studio 2012
  2. The Visual Studio Server Explorer can only edit SQL Server Express databases up to and including SQL Server 2008. It will not edit SQL EXPRESS 2008R2 or 2012 databases.
  3. SQL SERVER EXPRESS 2012 can be installed together with SQL Express Management Studio for free. Alternatively from DreamSpark you can install the full SQL SERVER 2012 database. Using the Management studio you can attach a local SQL EXPRESS database file and edit it. However this will not work in College as you have not been given the required windows permissions.
  4. Make sure that the Visual Studio Tools, Settings, Database Connections is set to SQLEXPRESS2012.
  5. You can also install the Data Tools for Visual Studio 2010 (and VS 2012 if you have installed it). This provides you with the SQL Server Object Explorer inside of Visual Studio. With this tool you can edit SQL Server Express databases once they have been attached in SQL Server Express Management Studio. You cannot however create new SQL Server Express database file using this tool. Instead use Visual Studio 2010 or 2012 and Add New Item, adding a new SQL Server Database file to the App_Data folder. This server explorer cannot be used in College!!! Again due to your restricted windows permissions.
  6. The BigCorp.mdf (and the 2008 and 2012 versions) of the SQL Server database from DMU cannot be used with web forms data controls. It contains no primary keys, and there is something else in that database which prevents Insert, Update and Delete queries from being written using web forms. I think it is an old SQL Server 2008 database that has been converted.
  7. Overall advice is therefore to create your SQL Server database at home or bring you laptops into College on thursday.Edit your stored procedures at home or on your laptops. Otherwise use the new version of the BogCorp2008.mdf from DropBox as that contains the required stored procedures to complete week 11 lab exercise.
  8. Week 7 Exercise does not require a database which is why I chose it!!!